Books

The Ravine (2008)
Galveston (2004)
From The Far Side Of The River: Chest Deep In Little Fish And Big Ideas (2003)
Fishing For Brookies, Browns & Bows: The Old Guy’s Compleat Guide To Catching Trout (2003)
The Spirit Cabinet (1999)
The Boy On The Back Of The Turtle (1997)
Original Six – True Stories From Hockey’s Classic Era (1996)
Fishing With My Old Guy (1995)
Civilization (1994)
Logan In Overtime (1990)
Whale Music (1989)
Hometown Heroes On The Road With Canada’s National Hockey Team (1988)
King Leary (1987)
The Life Of Hope (1985)
The Home Game (1983)
The Service (1978)

The Ravine (2008)
Every childhood contains at least one “ravine”–one episode where the normal fabric of everyday life rips and the monsters come roaring out. But only Giller-nominated novelist Paul Quarrington could make that moment both profound and profoundly funny.

Phil McQuigge’s marriage is over, he has lost his job as the producer of a wildly successful TV series, and has also lost the star of that series, who died on the set under mysterious circumstances that seem to be all Phil’s fault.

So Phil, who self-medicates for guilt and despair with liberal quantities of alcohol and what remains of his wit, sets out on a redemptive quest. He has narrowed down the source of his mid-life freefall to the lingering consequences of an ugly incident that happened in a suburban ravine when he was a boy, on an afternoon of adventure with his little brother, Jay, and their hapless tagalong, Norman Kitchen.

Phil decides that if he can only find and make amends to Norman Kitchen then just maybe the planets will once again align benevolently with his fate.

Paul Quarrington describes his tenth novel as what would happen if he had written Mystic River. He has a point: in his hands, comedy rides on top of a tragic undertow as the novel follows the surprising echoes of boyhood trauma in the lives of all three men. The extra surprise twist at the end? What Phil ends up having to atone for is not the sin he thinks he has committed.

2. Galveston (2004)
Few people seek out the tiny Caribbean island of Dampier Cay. Visitors usually wash up there by accident, rather than by design. But this weekend, three people will fly to the island deliberately. They are not coming for a tan or fun in the sun. They are coming because Dampier Cay is where it is, and they have reason to believe that they might encounter something there that most people take great measures to avoid — a hurricane.

A lottery windfall and a few hours of selfishness have robbed Caldwell of all that was precious to him, while Beverly, haunted by tragedy and screwed by fate since birth, has given up on life. Also on the flight is Jimmy Newton, a professional storm chaser and videographer who will do anything for the perfect shot.

Waiting for them at Dampier is the manager of the Water’s Edge Hotel, “Bonefish” Maywell Hope, who arrived at Dampier by the purest accident of all — the accident of birth. A descendent of the pirates who sailed the Caribbean hundreds of years ago, Hope believes if he works hard enough, he can prevent the inevitable.

Until, that is, the seas begin to rise . . . Cinematic and harrowing, spiced with Quarrington’s trademark humour, Galveston shows just how far people will go to feel alive.
3. From The Far Side Of The River: Chest Deep In Little Fish And Big Ideas (2003)
Insightful, funny and revealing, From the Far Side of the River is a welcome new book by gifted writer Paul Quarrington—who offers up his insights on fish, marriage, middle age and much more.

In this downstream journey, Paul Quarrington braves lake, river and ocean waters in a never-ending quest for his elusive quarry. Along the way the author also finds himself deep in ruminations about fish, family, friendship and life in general—not necessarily in that order.

Resembling the pools of a stream, each of the short pieces in From the Far Side of the River has its own character and inhabitants, both human and piscatorial. Whether fishing thoughtcribes the chaos that results when Jurgen–once materialistic, muscular and monosyllabic–turns into the miracle-working saint of the Las Vegas strip, as unlikely a place for spiritual renewal as you could find.

5.The Spirit Cabinet
Quarrington takes dead aim at the place in the human heart that believes that doves really can bloom from top hats and illusions sometimes do come true.

Taken from the dust jacket…
If you have liked Quarrington in the past, you’ll love this new work. If you have missed the opportunity to explore the world according to Quarrington, this would be a great first step towards rectifying this omission.

6. THE BOY ON THE BACK OF THE TURTLE (1997)
“In his previous book, Fishing with My Old Guy, Quarrington found his place in time, situating himself comfortably in the river of ages. Here he is more ambitious still: in The Boy on the Back of the Turtle, Quarrington attempts to discover his own little niche in the cosmos.

Cruising the volcanic Galápagos Islands on an ocean liner called the Corinthian in the company of his daughter, aged seven, and his father, aged seventy-three, he tries to find his place as a Father, as a Son, as a Mortal frolicking beneath the heavens.

One of the funniest and most talented writers this country has ever produced, Quarrington here explores the intricacies of everything from blue-footed boobies, pirates, careerism, and evolution theories to supraorbital ridges (a hint: the author has one), creation stories and marine iguanas. And as the Corinthian travels in the belly of the night from one island to another, Quarrington wrestles with questions great and small.

Given that the Galápagos is the historic site of God’s greatest setback, he points out, it is a fitting place to play out the battle within himself. A more engaging–and entertaining–battle has seldom been waged. The Boy of the Back of the Turtle is an utterly original, utterly delightful foray into the weird and wonderful pleasures of our universe.”

Original Six – True Stories From Hockey’s Classic Era (1996)
A collection of six stories, each stemming from the classic era of the NHL before expansion in 1967. These stories are full of heroism and humour, love and longing, and are meant as a balm for a nation whose spirit is sagging and in need of a transfusion of enthusiasm. Contained within these pages is something for everyone, and because these are more about an era than the game itself, hockey acumen is by no means necessary to enjoy this collection.

In this one-of-a-kind collection; six of our best writers tell six stories from the fabled Golden Age of the NHL. This book is about enthusiasm, heaven, the strength of family, conviction, memory, redemption and the common thread that brings them all together, this game of hockey.
The heroes who populate these pages and the writers who tell their stories are “god-awful in love with the game.”

THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS’ Charlie Gardiner by HYPERLINK “http://www.canoe.ca/JamBooksReviewsO/onacold_bidini.html” Dave Bidini
In a few weeks I would be dead at 30. But I had won the Stanley Cup in overtime. Would the losing goalie have traded places with me? I believe he would have.
THE MONTREAL CANADIENS’ Maurice “Rocket” Richard by Wayne Johnston
“What are we doing tonight, Clarence darling?” “Oh, I thought we’d have dinner and then go start a riot at the Forum, Phyllis.” “A riot? What should I wear?” “Something provocative, my dear”.
THE DETROIT RED WINGS’ Gordie Howe by Judith Fitzgerald
We carefully arranged ourselves around the cream-coloured bakelite radio, listening to Grandpa hold forth on Gordie, in full-flying language the colour of conviction.
THE BOSTON BRUINS’ Eddie Shore by Paul Quarrington
I have reasons for needing to be in Montreal. But the best reason has to do with the storm, which will not stop me.
THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS’ King Clancy by Trent Frayne
Clancy sits on big, gruff and goal-scoring Charlie Conacher’s knee inside the Leafs dressing-room toilet. And that’s where they come up with the plan.
THE NEW YORK RANGERS and the Stanley Cup by Jeff Z. Klein
It took 13 strides to make my way over to where he was standing and hand him the single, blasphemous matchstick that changed the lives of millions of New Yorkers.

8. Fishing With My Old Guy (1995)
This is a book of great heart. It is also a book that will make you laugh out loud, and when everyone is asleep and you are still reading, you will nudge the person beside you and say, “Are you awake? Can I read you one more thing?” — Stuart McLean.

“I have a theory about the transitional nature of a human life, how one needs someone to facilitate passage, how this is often accomplished by an elder under the pretense of imparting the minutiae of some art or craft.

Some anglers, near the end of their days, have acquired that knowledge, which they can then share with the young ones. Fishing is an area that can, even in this decidedly unmagical day and age, still produce magi. I call then Old Guys.” — from Fishing With My Old Guy

NOTE: A sequel (of sorts) Fishing for Brookies, Browns & Bows: The Old Guy’s Compleat Guide to Catching Trout by Quarrington and his ‘Old Guy” will be released late in 2001.

Paul Quarrington’s Old Guy is Gord Deval, President of the Scarborough Fly & Bait Casting Association

9. Civilization (1994)
“I am damned, all because I wanted to be in Civilization.”

So begins Paul Quarrington’s eagerly awaited new novel, a searingly funny and unique look at the early years of Hollywood and the American film industry. Narrated by the young Thom Moss, Civilization is the astounding story of two young men who venture out at the beginning of the twentieth century to find fame and fortune. A string of bad luck and startling coincidences land Thom and his oldest friend, Jefferson Foote, in the thick of Hollywoodland, employed by the renowned and much feared Caspar Willison, master of the two-reel cowboy Flicker. Part D.W. Griffith, part Erich Von Stroheim, Willison is a man of vision, if not manners and diplomacy. In his uniform of jodhpurs and matching six-guns, he bullies and cajoles his rag-tag cast and crew, all the while pushing the limited on he infant art form of movie making. Amidst the daily chaos inherent in film production at that time — faulty pyrotechnics, actors’ egos run amok, loss of both human and animal life — Thom falls in love with leading lady Thespa Doone, a rather odd but beautiful silent siren who wears men’s clothing when she wears anything at all. However, dispute Thom’s early popularity as a screen cowboy, and his romance with Thespa, things start to unravel at an alarming rate, mostly due to the realization that there is no role for him in Willison’s upcoming master work, the epic “Civilization”. Knowing that his days are numbered, Moss manipulates Willison into performing increasingly dangerous stunts, leading ultimately to a fateful act of destruction. Masterfully written, and an absolute joy to read, this is a stunning addition to Paul Quarrington’s impressive body of work.

10. Logan In Overtime (1990)
Logan’s professional hockey career didn’t exactly go the way he’d hoped. He was never a household name… even in his own household. This time even his goalie pads couldn’t protect him when he hit rock bottom — as goaltender for the hapless Falconbridge Falcons. How much lower can you go than the cellar of a Northern Ontario industrial hockey league? But things begin to change when a game against the Hope Blazers goes into overtime — and stays there. Soon everyone is interested, including Hockey Night in Canada, who fly in to check out the game.
“Let’s pretend,” a voice suggested, “that we’re one of those Frank Capra movies.”
“How do we do that?”
“You know. Here we are, up in the heavens, looking down.”
“Right. And all you see on the screen is a bunch of nebulae and assorted twinklies.”
“Exactly.”
“With violins,” another voice suggested.
“Do they like this sort of stuff?”
“Some do, some don’t.”
“Okay. Here we go. Look down. Look away down there. Look at the town of Falconbridge, Ontario, population, thirteen thousand.”
“Thirteen thousand and one if we count him.”
“There he is. Staring right back at us, coincidentally.”
“Is it he with whom was are going to fuck around?”
“Well,” came a voice, considering, “he’s doing a pretty crackerjack job of fucking around with himself. We’re going to help him.”
“What’s he got? Marital problems? Financial difficulties? Mental anguishes? Emotional instability? Physical abnormalities and/or diseases?”
“He’s got all sorts of general problems. We’re here for something specific.”
“Like what, for instance?”
“You guys ever hear of a game called hockey?”
– from Logan in Overtime.

11. Whale Music (1989)
In the 1960s Des and Danny Howell — the Howl Brothers to their fans — became the sensations of the rock world, creators of the sound that defined a generation. Until Danny died of speed — velocity, that is — and Des went home for good. The doctors say that Des is troubled, his brain short-circuited from years of fame and pharmaceuticals. He never dresses or sleeps. He talks only to himself and bona fide hallucinations. He pads about the house, eats jelly-filled doughnuts, and plunges his flabby body into the pool. But Des is creating his masterpiece on the monster keyboard in the Music Room: “The record execs say that Whale Music isn’t commercial. I say it’s not my fault if whales don’t have any money.” On the day the novel begins, Des Howell discovers he has acquired a house guest. Then other visitors show up and threaten his seclusion. Inexorably, Desmond Howell is being forced out into the world. Many people have concluded that Whale Music is actually a fictionalized account of the Beach Boy’s Brian Wilson. Steven Dunn, in a HYPERLINK “http://www.cabinessence.com/brian/essays/reviews.html” book review, rates Whale Music as a “must read” for Brian Wilson fans. It has even been reported (unconfirmed) that Brian Wilson himself has stated “Whale Music is the best book written about the Beach Boys”. Decide for yourself. Quarrington adapted HYPERLINK “C:\March 19 Paul Q\whalemv.htm” Whale Music for the screen with writer, Richard J. Lewis, during a five-year period that Quarrington spent writing mostly movies

12. Hometown Heroes On The Road With Canada’s National Hockey Team (1988)
“Sports reporters are fine pieces of work, brains dulled by liquor, hearts mangles by floozies. They stumble through the world in a special kind of misery. They watch and record the field, the rink. When the game is a good one, they splay their palsied fingers on the keyboard, digging for the heart of something. Sometimes they produce poetry.
“Sportswriters drink whiskey neat, puff on dead-ends. Sportswriters eat the wrong food.
“I set out to become one.” - Paul Quarrington
Hometown Heroes is the true story of the all-Canadian dream — to represent Canada in international hockey. But, in the hands of novelist turned sports reporter Paul Quarrington, the dream turns into a rambunctious romp over two continents, with the most original cast of stick-handlers and puck-stoppers ever to lace up a skates - our national hockey team.
Mixing stories from such places as Gindelwald Switzerland and Sudbury, Ontario, where a green wolf’s head glowers over the hockey rink, Quarrington carves out a hockey beat that few would imagine ever existed. In the process, he takes a candid and off-beat look at the lives of young talents, such as Sean Burke and Bobby Joyce, and their enigmatic coach Dave King, as they thrash Russkies in Moscow, trash hotel rooms in Switzerland and bash everyone’s preconceptions about hockey permanently out of shape.
After Hometown Heroes, sports reporting will never be the same.
13. KING LEARY (1987)
I scored the winner, you know. We were in overtime, in Montreal, playing the Canadiens. Anyways, the puck pops out and I scoop her and go into the Bulldog. Then I see Newsy Lalonde coming at me. He was the King of the Ice before me, you know, and as nasty a piece of business as was ever turned out of Creation. Yes, sir, Newsy was intending to take me into the boards and probably in the Maritimes, that’s how fast he was coming. But then I hear, “Psst, Percy!” and I know Manny is behind me. So we pull a stunt we pulled when we was playing together on the Bowmanville Reformatory boys’ team. I drop the rubber between my legs, and put a little spin on it so that it stops almost dead. Manny comes up and collects the puck and takes the check for me. Manny and Lalonde collide. My Lord, Newsy has his elbows up, and he took Manny’s face with them. Manfred was fair handsome previous to that, you know, but ever afterwards his puss has an out-of-kilter aspect to it. Anyway, the rubber dribbles out from between their legs, and it just tumbles onto my blade. Now there’s just a lone defender. Well, I go into the St. Louis Whirlygig and I pretzel the mook! I twist him around so good that his socks end up on different feet. I shoot the puck into silence. Then I hear Manny shout “Hey!” and from the stands I hear Clay Bors Clinton say “Yes!” and I know that the puck is in the net. “That’s how it was back in one-nine one-one. A marked improvement over how things is now”. Much as been written over the last few years about the relationship between King Clancy, that imp who domineered life around Maple Leaf Gardens for so many years, and the fictional character of King Leary.
14. THE LIFE OF HOPE (1985)
Welcome to Hope: Population 1001, three bars, a butcher’s shop, a liquor store, and “Edgar’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy.” Paul rolls into Hope late at night on his thirtieth birthday, on the lam from his wife and a surprise party he has known about for weeks. He has come to Hope to escape his failing marriage and the distractions of the Big City. He’d also like to get some serious work done on his second novel, but finds the diversions of Hope no less seductive than those he has fled. First, there is the legendary fish, Ol’ Mossback. Purportedly two-hundred years old and an oracle to boot; Paul could hardly pass up the chance to land such a fish. Then there is the town’s founder, an eccentric religious leader with a voracious sexual appetite (forever immortalized in the town square in a discrete state of excitement). And, of course, there are the habitués of Paul’s favorite bar, The Willing Mind: Jonathon Whitecrow, an Indian with an Oxford accent; Mona, the libertine barkeep and captain of the women’s baseball team; Big Bernie and his talking stomach, Little Bernie; and the two Kims. Hope is soon the center of Paul’s life, and he abandons his work in progress (inching along at the remarkable rate of one paragraph a day) in the attempt to unravel the complex mysteries of Hope. In the process Paul becomes a member of the “Oh Oh” chorus and is finally able to answer affirmatively the question, “talked with Ol’ Mossback lately?”
15. THE HOME GAME (1983)
In the tradition of Tom Robbins - The wonderful, wacky story of a marooned circus sideshow, a former baseball hero and a bizarre religious sect. The fundamentalists want the freaks to leave town and a baseball game is organized to decide who gets to stay. During these all-important nine innings we learn that, despite all appearances, these eccentric characters cannot deny the humanity that makes them all members of a single team. “The book enchants, as if the Brothers Grimm and the Brothers Marx had conspired to perform pratfalls while Freud was looking on, shaking his head” - The Toronto Star Home Game was a finalist for the Stephen Leacock Award and was praised as one of 1983’s ten best books by both the Toronto Star and Peter Gzowski of CBC’s Morningside. The book was voted one of fiction’s all-time best books about baseball in the rec.baseball Usenet newsgroup FAQ. It is also listed as one of the Top 50 in Recommended Baseball Fiction a list compiled by Peter “Doctor Baseball” C. Bjarkman, Chairman of SABR’s Latin American Committee and author of a comprehensive study of baseball literature, The Immortal Diamond. The Tempe Public Library readers included Home Game in their Fielder’s Choice: Fiction about Baseball List.

15. The Service (1978)
Hilarious and bawdy, The Service gives new demensions to the satiric portrayal of the little man overwhelmed by uncaring technocracy, and to the little man’s dependence on shrink, guru, or master. While its characters are as small as those of Barth’s The End Of The Road, their fantasies are large — and boldly erotic. — From the original cover.
We ALL be sailors borned, and drifters each and every.
Aye, in the waters of birthness be we to the knee (deep)
Mit the ribbies remains
of dinghies dead.
Seaforward (!)
when little footsies
no longer touch yon bottom (?) we gasp still and yet but knoweth
that below us … no thing … yet worm our hook, or, maybe, cling to a plank (which be afloat).
The nets fling out!
The seabirds flyfling from the perch!
Sifto bites beards and pipes o’er-turned wiggle
like fishy’s tails
Whom’s heads be catched.
We speaketh
Silent-lke as we are rockrockrocked
Waves come mountains rise and WHIFF to air
Squint!! A calmer sea be.
– Being the only extant poem written by Captain Francis Squabb, pirate & poet. Found in St. Mary’s Church, Norwich (on the lavatory wall).

OTHER
Alan Maitland’s book “Front Porch Al” contains 26 summer stories with guest writers providing insights on favorite subjects. Quarrington has supplied a chapter on one of his loves — fishing.
Leonard Cohen’s recent re-release of The Favourite Game features Paul Quarrington’s thoughtful and reflective afterward.